rename digs
August 15th, 2008 by thewordbirdThe Canucks will be getting down to business in a newly-named arena this fall. GM Place will be named what speculators thought, “Canada Hockey Place“.
Now, my first thought about a week ago when I heard the news start up, was elation. I am partial to the honesty and integrity of the game. I am also against all of this over-marketing with full ads of players with their skates, Euro leagues with decals ALL over the helmets and Tim Hortons being shipped overseas to our troops (hey-try something different while you are over there!).
But alas, I also know that it needs to be integrated into hockey on all fronts and I do realize that. Hell, I can remember when there were not much for board advertisers. I remember when you could tell where the game was being played by the volume, persistance, and appearance of the crowd. Now, the cookie cutter arenas are told apart from the secondary advertisers between the big corporations. Realism shows us that advertisers glomming onto every piece of real estate is natural and a body governed by the National Hockey League should regulate it.
‘Canada Hockey Place’ is a suitable designation. Awkward, yes. But at least it strives for brevity and apt description. I noticed on Vancouver’s Olympic website that the name has already been changed or at least is undergoing the change and is past the discussion stage. My impression from various media sources was that it was going to be done for the Olympics; at the very least, it is already named so on the official website.
August 15th, 2008
Robin Keith Thompson
One Response to “rename digs”
By Jason Chen on Aug 18, 2008
Canada Hockey Place… awkward? Very much so. I love it when there’s nicknames for some arenas. The Igloo in Pittsburgh, the Shark Tank in San Jose… I thought “The Garage” was pretty cool too… but Canada Hockey Place? The name sounds as pretentious as it is awkward… Since when did a hockey rink in Vancouver embody Canada? It’s as if it were 2004 again, when the Flames became “Canada’s Team.”
The reason why European teams are littered with decals is because it’s the only way they can generate enough revenue for the league to continue to exist. They don’t have the luxury of corporate sponsors or large revenue streams to support them, so they have to advertise every single inch of their body.